About this Unit
USS Northampton (CC-1) was planned as the lead ship of a new class of heavy cruisers for the United States Navy in the early 1920s. Intended to serve as a fast, heavily armed cruiser, she was laid down at the Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts. However, construction was halted and the project was canceled in 1923 as a result of the Washington Naval Treaty, which imposed limits on naval armaments and capital ship construction. As a result, USS Northampton (CC-1) was never completed and was subsequently scrapped, leaving her name to be used for later vessels.
Historical Facts
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Planned as the First Command Cruiser: USS Northampton (CC-1) was the only ship of her class, designed as the United States Navy's first purpose-built command cruiser, intended to serve as a floating headquarters for fleet commanders.
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Converted from a Heavy Cruiser: Originally laid down as Oregon City-class heavy cruiser CA-125, her hull was converted to CC-1 during construction to fulfill the need for a command ship.
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Commissioned During the Cold War: The ship was commissioned on March 7, 1953, at the height of the Cold War, reflecting the Navy’s emphasis on command and control in a nuclear era.
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Distinctive Superstructure Design: Northampton featured a unique superstructure with extensive communications and radar equipment, making her one of the most advanced ships of her time for command and control functions.
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“Floating White House”: She was popularly known as the “Floating White House,” equipped to serve as an emergency command post for the President of the United States in case of nuclear war.
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“Doomsday Ship” Role: As part of the National Emergency Command Post Afloat (NECPA) program, Northampton was one of two ships (the other being USS Wright (CC-2)) designated as survivable mobile command centers during a national crisis.
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Never Used by a President: Despite her “Floating White House” nickname, no President ever used Northampton as a command post, though she was always on standby for such an emergency.
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Participation in Naval Exercises: Northampton frequently took part in major naval exercises, serving as flagship for commanders of the Atlantic Fleet and testing new command and communication technologies.
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Highly Secretive Operations: Much of her service history was classified, due to her sensitive communications and command role during the Cold War, with only limited information released to the public.
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Decommissioned and Scrapped: Northampton was decommissioned on April 8, 1970, and struck from the Naval Vessel Register in 1977, after which she was sold for scrap, ending her unique chapter in naval history.
